Stage set for 'UP First Conclave' in Lucknow today

Even as Uttar Pradesh gets ready to go to polls early next year, politicians of the state and representatives of the Election Commission are gearing up to share the stage on Saturday in the first such event in the state.

Even as Uttar Pradesh gets ready to go to polls early next year, politicians of the state and representatives of the Election Commission are gearing up to share the stage on Saturday in the first such event in the state.

The Hindustan Times UP First Conclave, a joint venture of Hindustan Times and Ansal API in partnership with Hindi daily Hindustan, is an initiative to discuss and debate key electoral issues.

The day-long event would have two sessions — Electoral Reforms and People’s Agenda.

The session on reforms would have speakers such as Samajwadi Party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former UP chief minister Rajnath Singh, Congress MP and chairman of the National SC/ST Commission PL Punia, Rashtriya Lok Dal legislature party leader Kokab Hamid, legal adviser to the Election Commission SK Mendiratta, state chief electoral officer UK Sinha and legislative department secretary VK Bhasin.

While representatives from the Election Commission would outline the measures taken so far to cleanse the electoral system as well as the proposals pending for further reforms, the politicians would share the stand of their respective political parties.

The second session would have speakers such as Bahujan Samaj Party state president Swami Prasad Maurya, Samajwadi Party state president Akhilesh Yadav, Bharatiya Janata Party state president Surya Pratap Shahi and Rashtriya Lok Dal general secretary Jayant Chaudhary. They would spell out their respective poll agenda.

Interactive sessions would have questions from the audience, both at the venue — the Vivanta by Taj — as well as from people in other cities through video conferencing.